Safer Sleep for Children in Your Early Childcare Centre

It goes without saying that sleep is important.  What is surprising is just how important sleep is to a young, developing mind.  In her 2009 dissertation for her Masters degree at the University of Canterbury entitled ‘The Quality of Naps in Young Children with Sleeping Difficulties: The Role of Parents and Preschools’ Lucia Torok highlights the conflicting best practices to nap times in early childhood centres in New Zealand but one thing that remains undisputed is the important role it plays.

Lucia cites quotes from Mindell & Owens (2003), Blissitt (2001) and Gomez, Bootzin & Nadel (2006), which all highlight how sleep is a major activity of the brain during development and that sleeping once learning has occurred can help cement the lessons in the child’s mind.

So how do we create a safe and healthy environment for our children?

The Ministry of Education has excellent guidelines in place for Early Childhood Centres and in section 21, covering sleeping facilities, there are stipulations about hygiene, safety and accessibility.

There is also guidance that a system should be in place for the monitoring of sleeping children.

Every centre is required to hit these requirements, but how can you go above and beyond to ensure your centre is offering a high standard within the sleep facilities provided?

The bedding you use can play an important part in not only meeting the requirements but also in assisting staff in their jobs, and giving the children a safe environment to rest in.

Cots that have non-toxic finishes may seem like an easy box to tick but an effective lacquer finish can make them easy to clean and maintain.

These Tiny Tots Drop-Side Cots come packed with features that make providing a safe and hygienic sleep environment for kids even easier.  The drop-side function makes accessing children easier and quicker whilst maintaining a high standard of safety.

The head and feet ends are closed with solid ends to prevent cross-contamination when positioned end-to-end. Fundamentally, they have the hygienic benefits of an enclosed cot, with the observational perks of a fully open cot!

Whereas the ratio of cots to floor space is recommended at 1.4m2 for large freestanding cots having cots that take up less of your sleep room means more space between children, and convenient access for teaching staff if required.  The Tiny Tots Drop-Side Cot takes up half the space of other cots.